According to the National Cooperative Business Association, health care related cooperatives are becoming quite popular with consumers in the past few years, since most health care co-ops have amongst their objectives:

• Keeping health care costs and insurance premiums affordable for individuals and small businesses
  
  
• Controlling prescription drug costs
  
  
• Keeping community-owned, non-profit hospitals functioning and independent.

Group Health was one of the leaders in the cooperative movement. Founded in 1947 by a community coalition dedicated to making quality health care available and affordable, Group Heath Cooperative is a consumer governed non-profit health system that provides both insurance coverage and health care to its members. Headquartered in Seattle, Group Health Cooperative, with its subsidiaries Group Health Options, Inc. and KPS Health Plans, are the health care provider of almost 600,000 members in 20 counties throughout the state of Washington and two counties in North Idaho.

In 2004, Group Health Cooperative's revenue was $2.1 billion. The co-op employed just under 10,000 people, and had over 850 doctors on staff, including 45 specialists. In addition, it owned two hospitals, 25 primary care medical centers, a number of specialty care centers, and vision and hearing centers. In addition, Group Health had contractual working relationships with 39 hospitals and more than 7,000 health practitioners.

Contained within the Group Health Cooperative structure are its research arm, Group Health Center for Health Studies, and a medical services group where doctors and other clinicians provide care in facilities owned by the cooperative, Group Health Permanente. In fact, over 70 percent of Group Health's members receive their medical care in cooperative-owned medical facilities.

Group Health Cooperative also includes Group Health Community Foundation, an organization that uses philanthropy, health care innovation, and community partnerships to improve the health of young people, as well as promote diversity within the health care system. During 2005, the Foundation raised more than $2 million from almost 6000 donors, and provided grants of almost $600,000 to support community programs and research. It also had a total endowment of approximately $15 million.

Group Health Options, Inc.

The actual provider of health care insurance is Group Health Options, Inc. The company offers a range of health plans meant to provide choice and flexibility for individuals, as well as for small and large employers. Among the company's 12 separate health care plans are those that allow members to choose to be treated by doctors within the plan or by any doctor, anywhere in the world. Options are also available for federal government employees, expanded Medicare coverage, and plans suited for low income members. In addition, plan options that include health care services, dental coverage, and vision coverage are available.